Transportable container for powdered materials



Oct. 18, 1955 o. KNUTSEN TRANSPORTABLE CONTAINER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1952 Oct. 18, 1955 o. L. KNUTSEN TRANSPORTABLE CONTAINER FOR POWDERED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 12, 1952 LLL ///1// w r IL 3M Uw Oct. 18, 1955 o, L. KNUTSEN TRANSPORTABLE CONTAINER FOR POWDEIRED MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 12, 1952 United States Patent Ofiice 2,721,006 Patented Oct. 18, 1955 TRANSPORTABLE CQNTAINER FOR PS'WDERED ltdATERIALS Oivind L. Knntsen, London, England, assignor to Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation Limited, London, England, a British company Application November 12, 1952, Serial N 319,996

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 14, 1951 7 Claims. (Ci. 222195) This invention relates to a transportable container for powdered materials such as cement, limestone, coal dust and the like, which can be discharged pneumatically from the container, and, in particular, to such a container adapted to be tipped to discharge the powder contents thereof through a discharge aperture in the container.

. Containers of the kind referred to for mounting on road vehicles have hitherto been of cylindrical shape and formed with substantially flat or dished end walls and with a discharge aperture adjacent one end wall, so that when the container is tipped on the vehicle chassis the discharge aperture is at a low level. It is known to facilitate the discharge of the powder in the container by introducing pressure air or gas into the container adjacent the discharge outlet through jet-like apertures in a plate, the pressure fluid passing through the apertures in a downward direction, and to provide an air or gas jet located in the discharge pipe or connection joined to the discharge aperture to convey the material through the discharge pipe.

The object of the invention is to provide a container of the kind referred to which can be discharged rapidly and cleanly.

. With the foregoing object in view a transportable container for powdered materials made in accordance with the invention comprises a body portion having a charging aperture and two end walls, at least one of said end walls tapering outwardly and downwardly from top to bottom to form a sprint having the shape of an offset cone, said oifset cone being formed at its apex with a discharge aperture and the wall of said cone being formed adjacent said discharge aperture with a second aperture, a porous wall part covering said second aperture, and means for admitting aerating pressure fluid into the container through said porous wall part for the purpose of fluidising the powder in the vicinity of said discharge aperture.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate how the invention may be carried into effect:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete container;

Figure 2 is a plan View of Figure l, the cylindrical body being omitted;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view of the discharge end of the container showing the pipe connections for the admission of compressed air or gas;

Figure 4 is a perspective inverted detail view of the discharge end of the container, and

Figures 5 and 6 are views illustrating respectively details in construction.

The container 10 shown in the drawings is cylindrical throughout the greater part of its length and is closed at one end by an outwardly convex disc 11 welded to one end of the cylindrical body of the container. The other end wall 13 is welded to the cylindrical body of the container and has a shape similar to an offset cone, i. e. it tapers outwardly and downwardly so as to form a discharge spout acting to guide the powder to be discharged from the container into a discharge pipe 9 connected to the discharge outlet 8 (Fig. 4) in the spout. Passage of the contents of the container through the discharge outlet of the spout is controlled by a valve plate 14 (see Fig. 5) fixed to a short shaft 15 rotatably mounted in a boss 16 and a cover plate 17 secured by screws to a flange 18 welded to the spout 13, the outer end of the shaft 15 being squared and adapted to be engaged by a cranked handle 19 (see Fig. 1). The valve plate 14 has a U-shaped opening (not shown) which by turning the handle 19 can register with the spout outlet; or can be turned out of alignment therewith to close the outlet. The container is charged with powder through an aperture provided in the top of the container and closed by a cover 20.

The bottom surface of the spout 13 is formed with an aperture 21 (Figs. 2 and 4) across which is mounted a device consisting (see Fig. 6) of top and bottom perforated plates 22, 23 between which is sandwiched a strip 24 of permeable material, e. g. latex foam, the device being supported at each end on a rubber block 25, supported by a cover plate 26 bolted at each end to a bar 27, the latter being welded to the bottom surface of the spout 13.

The arrangement provides a space 28 between the device 22, 23, 24 and the cover plate 26 into which pressure air or gas can be introduced for the purpose of aerating the powder adjacent the discharge outlet of the container to facilitate the discharge, the pressure fluid passing through the device, 22, 23, 24.

The pressure air or gas is supplied into the space 28 from a main pipe 30 having three branches 31, 32, 33 (see Fig. 3) of which branch 31 supplies the space 28, and branches 32, 33 communicate respectively with inlet ports disposed diametrically opposite in the wall of the discharge pipe 9. The openings of the branches 32, 33 into the pipe 9 are inclined in the discharge direction. Instead of, or in addition to, being inclined, they may be tangential to the discharge pipe. The openings are preferably tangential so that the incoming pressure air or gas will flow along a helical path in the pipe, thus facilitating the flow of powder along the pipe.

A safety valve 34 is provided in the pressure fluid pipe 30, and a shut-off valve 35 is fitted in the pipe 30 between the valve 34 and the branches 32, 33.

It is known to provide in transportable containers for powdered materials means for admitting pressure fluid into the container adjacent the discharge outlet and into the discharge pipe, to facilitate discharge of the powder, but the particular construction of the device 22, 23, 24 described, and the arrangement by which this pressure fluid is admitted into the discharge pipe .14 without obstructing the cross-sectional passage thereof, are believed to be novel.

The main body of the container may, instead of being of cylindrical cross-section as shown in the drawings, be of elliptical or like cross-section.

In some circumstances it may be desirable to provide a discharge aperture at each end of the container; each end wall may then be made similarly to the end wall 13, the arrangement described for admitting pressure air or gas being duplicated at each end. In such a case the container can be tipped from either end.

Containers made according to the invention can be mounted on road vehicles, railway trucks, and the like. The vehicle on which the container is mounted may be provided with suitable mechanism for tipping the container, or the tipping mechanism may be provided extraneously of the vehicle, for example, it may comprise a crane on the discharge site.

The container may be hermetically closed, and if the contents of the container are to be discharged into an overhead hopper or the like suflicient pressure can be built up in the container to raise the discharged powder to the desired height against the action of gravity. The pressure required for discharging against gravity is relatively low which enables the container to be relatively thin walled and consequently of -lig'ht construction.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A transportable container for powdered materials adapted to be tippedwhen-discharging the powdered contents thereof, comprising abody portion having a charging aperture and two end walls, at least one ofsaid end walls tapering outwardly and downwardly from top to bottom toform a spout having the shape of an ofiset cone, said offset cone being formed at its apex with a discharge aperture and the wall ="f said cone being formed adjacent said discharge aperture with a second aperture, a porous wall part covering said second aperture, and means for admitting aerating pressure fluid into the container through said porous wall part for the purpose of fluidising the powder in the vicinity of said discharge aperture. a 2. A transportable container for powdered materials adapted to be tipped when discharging the powdered contents thereof, comprising a body portion having a 'nonporous wall with a-charging aperture and two end walls, at least one of said end walls tapering outwardly and downwardly from top tobottom to form a spout'having the shape of an offset'cone, said offset cone being formed at its apex with a discharge aperture and the wall of said cone'beingformed adjacent said discharge aperture with a second aperture, a porous wall part covering said second aperture, and means for admitting aerating pressure fluid into the container through said porous wall part for the purpose of fluidis'ing the powder in the vicinity of said discharge aperture.

3. A transportable container adapted to be tipped when discharging the powdered contents thereof, comprising a body portion having a nonporous wall of curved cross-section with a charging aperture therein'and two end walls, at least one of said end walls tapering outwardly and downwardly from top to bottom to forni'a spout having the shape of an offset cone, said offset cone 'being formed at its apex with a discharge aperture and the wall of said cone being formed adjacent said discharge aperture with a second aperture, a porous wall part covering said second aperture, and means, for admitting aerating pressurefluid into the container through said porous wall part for the purpose of fluidising the powder in the vicinityof said discharge aperture.

for powdered materials 4. A transportable container according to claim 1 further comprising valve means for controlling the effective opening of the discharge aperture. 7

5. A transportable container according to claim 1 further comprising a discharge pipe connected to said discharge aperture, means for admitting pressure fluid into said discharge pipe, and valve means for controlling the amount of pressure fluid admitted into said discharge pipe.

6. A transportable container according to claim 1 in which said porous wall part comprises top and bottom perforated plates extending across an aperture in the base of said downwardly and outwardly tapering end wall, a layer of material permeable to fluid disposed between said top and bottom plates, a cover plate extending across the outside of said aperture, means for securing said cover plate to said container in a gas-tight manner and so as to leave an enclosed space between said bottom plate and said cover plate, said aerating pressure fluid being admitted into said space whence it passes through said permeable material into said container.

7. A transportable container according to claim 1 in which said porous wall part comprises top and bottomperforated plates extending across an aperture in the base of said downwardly and outwardly tapering end wall, a layer of latex foam disposed between said top and bottom plates, a cover plate extending across the outside of said aperture, means for securing said cover plate to said .container in a gas-tight manner and so as to leave an enclosed space between said bottom plate and said cover plate, said aerating pressure fluid being admitted into-said space whence it passes through said permeable material into said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,507 Stiles May 10, 1892 1,029,273 Butler Tune 11, 1912 1,971,852 Goebels Aug. 28, 1934 2,036,115 Branch Mar. 31, 1936 2,589,968 Schemm Mar. 18, 1952 2,609,125 Schemm Sept. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 640,020 Denmark Oct. 8,1945 

